Cost of Developing a Custom Mobile App

According to research, the number of new apps released monthly on Apple and Android is enormous. The Apple App Store’s number is above 100,000, over three times that of the Google Play Store. In people’s daily lives, mobile apps are quite important. They can communicate, purchase, pay bills, and perform various other activities using apps. Mobile apps generate several hundred billion dollars in revenue every year.

Creating their apps is attracting the attention of merchants everywhere. The first challenge when building a mobile app is the associated cost. The specifications and requirements will eventually impact on the price of custom mobile app development. A few aspects that affect an application’s costs are its UI/UX layout, intricacy, and interconnections with additional services.

Aspects that impact the development of a custom mobile app

Hiring strategy

Selecting the right category of development partner is essential. One can work with independent app developers (freelancers) or consult an app development firm to create the app. Cost savings are the main benefit of working with independent developers. One can discover independent contractors willing to work for a minor cost per hour. However, when considering the advantages of React over Angular, it becomes crucial to choose a development partner with expertise in the preferred framework to ensure optimal app performance and scalability.

Businesses must locate freelancers for project’s various elements if they choose to engage freelancers. One can undoubtedly save money by hiring freelancers, but the job would not be of a high standard or delivered on schedule.

Developer location

The developers’ geographic location significantly affects the total cost of the development. Asian nations including, India and Pakistan, charge around $25 per hour for app development. One may be charged from $40 to $110 per hour in countries such as Australia and the UK.

The process of creating custom mobile apps and their associated costs

Creating a mobile application includes many steps, from conceptualization to release and after-launch maintenance. The collection of skills, assets, and time constraints needed for each process stage influences the overall cost. 

Investigation and planning

A successful idea for a mobile app might exist. However, the idea must undergo a market assessment, the app must be validated, and the requirements must be documented in both functional and non-functional terms. Its purpose is to comprehend the customer’s company objectives, target market, and app requirements. The development team and the client collaborate intensively throughout this phase.

Generally, the business study step would take 2 to 4 weeks and cost between $1,000 and $12,000. The study stage receives about 10% of the entire app development cost.

Prototyping

It is crucial to make a good impression. The app needs a perfect UI/UX design to make an outstanding first impression. 

The developers produce a wireframe during the prototyping stage. The design team collaborates extensively with the customer to ensure that it reflects their brand and objectives. The average design fee for a custom mobile app is between $2,500 and $10,000.

Application programming

The developers start developing the application’s front end and back end. More than any other mobile app development stage, the coding part has higher costs. Normally, the programming team comprises of two or three people. There must be plenty of cooperation during programming and development. The associated cost can range from $2,500 to $60,000. 

Project management

Project management is a critical phase in the app development process. A project manager keeps an eye on the whole development process. The managerial work consumes up to 15% of the overall app cost, ranging from $1,500 to $12,000. 

Testing and release

The app’s creation must include testing because it maintains the quality of the final result. Throughout the entire app development process, one must employ accurate testing procedures. 

Obviously, after creating the application, it needs to be tested once more to determine whether it should be made public. A thorough testing phase ensures that the users experience the minimum latency or errors. This stage of the project often costs around $4,500. 

Post-release support and maintenance

The costs associated with creating and distributing the app on Android and Apple are not yet covered. The development cost must consider the mobile application’s maintenance expenses.  Clients must be able to download and enjoy the application as often as they wish. 

It might not be necessary to update the app with new features and capabilities right away. However, it is necessary to have a strategy for regular maintenance and a budget to keep it current. 

Removing bugs, improving code, updating the application to the most recent OS iterations, and enhancing app stability are a few maintenance activities. Depending on the style and purpose of the app, the price varies substantially. It can typically consume 10% to 20% of the development cost. 

Conclusion

For companies trying to grow and refresh their brand, developing a custom mobile app might be a prudent investment. The overall cost can vary due to several factors. Thus, it is crucial to hire dedicated developers who can turn any idea into a high quality mobile application. It can result in the maximum ROI for the business.